I am now realizing while putting together this post, that almost all of the photos featured are either food or neon signs, which I think aptly and symbolically represents my being as a whole. So if red is the color of passion, then mine comes in the form of eating and typography apparently.
1. As a self proclaimed, huge fan of neon signs, I couldn’t resist photographing this blunt masterpiece on my way back from dinner. It spoke to me in such a way that I even jaywalked (or more like jay-ran) across a busy Mission street to capture the image, only to have several patrons standing outside of the bar that owned this sign judge me –– and probably rightfully so.
2. For hopefully obvious reasons, this is a very emotional photo. For most West Coast meat-eaters, In-N-Out burgers are an integral part of the living in a place like California. Having been apart from this beloved fast food establishment for months, there was a near tearful reunion when I took my first 2015 bite of animal fries. If there was a theme song for this meal, it would surely be “Reunited” by Peaches (you know the one…). This photo also constantly reconfirms that In-N-Out will always be better than Shake Shack, no matter how many times I try to convince myself otherwise while at school. So take that East Coast.
3. This isn’t so much of a snapshot kept for memory purposes, but rather a part of my ever-growing fashion wishlist. Matt & Nat are a Canadian brand that make the most enviable vegan leather bags, and every time I browse a store that carries them, I comment on how badly I need one in my life –– sometimes not even realizing the bags are from the same brand. So in short, this photo is a reminder to follow my expensive accessory dreams and save money to achieve these sartorial goals.
4. When I leave the city and travel somewhere, some sort of frozen dessert is always in order. And even though the destination was only Half Moon Bay a few towns over, this time was no different. My best friend and I finished our journey along the HMB’s sleepy oceanside downtown by practically engulfing two drippy and gigantic snow cones until the only surviving proof of the snack was our dyed lips and tongues.
5. Sometimes I like to pretend I’m a healthy eater. While bacon and eggs for breakfast always sounds like the best option, there are other times when my body recognizes a need for a little detoxification in the morning. One of the few techniques I use to make myself eat nutritious foods is by creating homemade and surprisingly photogenic smoothie bowls, topped with fancy ingredients ––like flax seeds, goji berries and dried coconut flakes –– that supposedly work wonders for your health (actual results TBD). This way, I trick myself into thinking I’m eating a ten dollar acai bowl from somewhere like Judahlicious, when really all it took was a few handfuls inexpensive foods from Trader Joes.
6. This was one of those instances where in my head, I expected this shot to look super cool, architectural and urban, only for it to look something as basic as a photo of well –– a brick wall.
7. On this edition of “Things I Never Thought I’d Like, But Surprisingly Did” –– The San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Previously, the thought of sitting in a dark room with (no offense) people of a certain age to watch a movie void of any dialogue would’ve made my want to rip my own precious eyebrows off. But in a turn of events, the Castro Theater’s screening of 1924’s The Last Laugh –– accompanied by live orchestra music –– made for a pleasantly fun night, even though my friend and I were in fact the youngest in attendance like expected.
8. “Saturated Summer” just got a lil’ NSFW and I’m proudly #sorrynotsorry for shamelessly publishing a photo of a phallic cookie. While pondering over dessert options one night, my friend and I opted to forgo prudish options like ice cream (boring!), cupcakes (so last year!) and crepes (who?) for a more risque way to fulfill our sweet cravings. The answer was found in the form of a D shaped macaroon, also covered in chocolate and coconut from infamous bakery Hot Cookie in the Castro.
P.S Shout out to the last of three neon signs in this post!
9. Fries. My lifeline. My food soulmate. After a particularly long day at the beach this was what exactly what I wanted –– no, needed. In my opinion, any fry is a good fry and these slender russet potato babies were no different. Seriously, I could easily turn my blog into a series documenting my profound love for this unhealthy side dish, pictured here in all its glory –– but I’ll refrain for now.
So until next time, don’t be blue and get red-y (not even sorry for those puns!) for the fourth color I have in store.
